France waits on US vote over Syria strikes

In this citizen journalism image provided by the United media office of Arbeen which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, Syrians pray during the funeral of a man killed from a shell in Arbeen town, a suburb of Damascus, Syria, Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2013. (AP Photo/United media office of Arbeen)
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In this citizen journalism image provided by the United media office of Arbeen which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, Syrians pray during the funeral of a man killed from a shell in Arbeen town, a suburb of Damascus, Syria, Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2013. (AP Photo/United media office of Arbeen)
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Venezuelans of Arab descent hold up photographs of Syria's late President Hafez Assad, father of Syria's current President Bashar Assad, right, and Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah, left, outside the U.S. embassy in Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, Sept. 2, 2013. The demonstrators are protesting any military action in Syria by the U.S. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)— AP

Venezuelans of Arab descent hold up photographs of Syria's late President Hafez Assad, father of Syria's current President Bashar Assad, right, and Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah, left, outside the U.S. embassy in Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, Sept. 2, 2013. The demonstrators are protesting any military action in Syria by the U.S. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)
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A girl with the Syrian flag painted on her cheek attends a demonstration by adults protesting any military action in Syria by the U.S., outside the U.S. embassy in Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, Sept. 2, 2013. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)— AP

A girl with the Syrian flag painted on her cheek attends a demonstration by adults protesting any military action in Syria by the U.S., outside the U.S. embassy in Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, Sept. 2, 2013. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)
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Syrian refugees arrive at the Turkish Cilvegozu gate border, Monday, Sept. 2, 2013. Routine prevailed at a US-Turkish airbase in southern Turkey on Monday, a day after the US alleged that sarin gas was used in an August chemical weapons attack in Syria. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)— AP

Syrian refugees arrive at the Turkish Cilvegozu gate border, Monday, Sept. 2, 2013. Routine prevailed at a US-Turkish airbase in southern Turkey on Monday, a day after the US alleged that sarin gas was used in an August chemical weapons attack in Syria. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
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President Barack Obama, flanked by House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio, left, and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of Calif., speaks to media in the Cabinet Room of the White House in Washington, Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2013, before a meeting with members of Congress to discuss the situation in Syria. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)— AP

President Barack Obama, flanked by House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio, left, and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of Calif., speaks to media in the Cabinet Room of the White House in Washington, Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2013, before a meeting with members of Congress to discuss the situation in Syria. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
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FILE -- This file photo, taken on Friday Dec. 2, 2005, released by Israel Aircraft Industries Ltd., shows an Arrow missile being launched at an undisclosed location in Israel. Israel and the U.S. conducted a joint missile test over the Mediterranean on Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2013, an apparent display of military prowess as the Obama administration seeks congressional support for strikes against the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad. A Sparrow missile was launched successfully at 9:15 a.m. and— AP

FILE -- This file photo, taken on Friday Dec. 2, 2005, released by Israel Aircraft Industries Ltd., shows an Arrow missile being launched at an undisclosed location in Israel. Israel and the U.S. conducted a joint missile test over the Mediterranean on Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2013, an apparent display of military prowess as the Obama administration seeks congressional support for strikes against the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad. A Sparrow missile was launched successfully at 9:15 a.m. and
/ AP

FILE -- This file photo, taken on Friday Dec. 2, 2005, released by Israel Aircraft Industries Ltd., shows an Arrow missile being launched at an undisclosed location in Israel. Israel and the U.S. conducted a joint missile test over the Mediterranean on Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2013, an apparent display of military prowess as the Obama administration seeks congressional support for strikes against the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad. A Sparrow missile was launched successfully at 9:15 a.m. an— AP

FILE -- This file photo, taken on Friday Dec. 2, 2005, released by Israel Aircraft Industries Ltd., shows an Arrow missile being launched at an undisclosed location in Israel. Israel and the U.S. conducted a joint missile test over the Mediterranean on Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2013, an apparent display of military prowess as the Obama administration seeks congressional support for strikes against the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad. A Sparrow missile was launched successfully at 9:15 a.m. an
/ AP

Children walk past tents of a Syrian refugees camp in Yayladagi, Turkey, Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2013. The civil war in Syria has forced over 2 million people out of the country and over 4 million others are displaced within its borders, making Syrians the nation with the largest number of people torn from their homes, U.N. officials said Tuesday. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)— AP

Children walk past tents of a Syrian refugees camp in Yayladagi, Turkey, Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2013. The civil war in Syria has forced over 2 million people out of the country and over 4 million others are displaced within its borders, making Syrians the nation with the largest number of people torn from their homes, U.N. officials said Tuesday. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
/ AP

France's President Francois Hollande waits prior to welcome German President Joachim Gauck, prior to a meeting, at the Elysee Palace, in Paris, Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2013. The German head of state is in France for a three-day state visit. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)— AP

France's President Francois Hollande waits prior to welcome German President Joachim Gauck, prior to a meeting, at the Elysee Palace, in Paris, Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2013. The German head of state is in France for a three-day state visit. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
/ AP

BEIRUT 
France will not carry out punitive missile strikes against Syria on its own and is awaiting a decision from the U.S. Congress on possible military action against Bashar Assad's regime, the French president said Tuesday.

As the Obama administration worked to build support ahead of the Congress vote, the U.S. and Israel conducted a joint missile test in the eastern Mediterranean in an apparent signal of military readiness. In the operation, a missile was fired from the sea toward the Israeli coast to test the tracking by the country's missile defense system.

The U.S. and France accuse the Syrian government of using chemical weapons in an Aug. 21 attack on rebel-held suburbs of Damascus that killed hundreds of people. President Barack Obama and his French counterpart, Francois Hollande, are pushing for a military response to punish Assad for his alleged use of poison gas against civilians - though U.S. officials say any action will be limited in scope, not aimed at helping to remove Assad.

Obama appeared on the verge of launching missile strikes before abruptly announcing on Saturday that he would first seek congressional approval. Congress returns from its summer recess next week.

On Tuesday, the White House won backing for military action from two powerful Republicans - House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner and House majority leader Eric Cantor.

In Paris, Hollande said that the U.S. vote "will have consequences on the coalition that we will have to create." He did not specify whether that meant a military coalition.

"A large coalition must therefore be created on the international scale, with the United States - which will soon take its decision - (and) with Europe ... and Arab countries," Hollande said.

If Congress votes no, France "will take up its responsibilities by supporting the democratic opposition (in Syria) in such a way that a response is provided," he added.

France's government on Monday released an extract of intelligence gathered by two leading French intelligence agencies alleging that Assad's regime was behind the attack and at least two other, smaller-scale ones earlier this year.

Hollande added Tuesday that France had indications the nerve agent sarin was used in the Aug. 21 attack, a claim U.S. officials have also made.

The French parliament will debate the Syria issue Wednesday, but no vote is scheduled. France's constitution doesn't require such a vote for military intervention unless its lasts longer than four months, though some French lawmakers have urged Hollande to call one anyway.

The U.S. and France say the alleged chemical attack violates international conventions. Russia, which with Iran has been a staunch backer of Assad throughout the conflict, has brushed aside Western evidence of an alleged Syrian regime role.

At the United Nations, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned that any "punitive" action could unleash more turmoil and bloodshed in that nation's civil war.

"I take note of the argument for action to prevent a future use of chemical weapons. At the same time, we must consider the impact of any punitive measure on efforts to prevent further bloodshed and facilitate the political resolution of the conflict," Ban said.